Sectioned: A Psychiatric Patient’s Experience

In mid November 1999 I realised that I was going Manic again so I went to my G.P. who arranged for me to go immediately to a Psychiatric Hospital where I was admitted as a voluntary patient. After being in the Hospital for a fortnight I felt I was well enough to go home and so informed a member of staff of my intention to leave. Later a Consultant Psychiatrist called me into an office and told me that I wasn’t well enough to leave and that it would be best for me to stay. I disagreed with him saying I intended to go home and to bear in mind that because I was a voluntary patient I could sign myself out, (little did I know). There was another person present in the office who had been introduced to me when I’d entered as a Mental Health Officer (called an Approved Social Worker in England). The Psychiatrist informed me that if the Mental Health Officer agreed I was now Sectioned (committed) under the Mental Health Act for three days and legally I couldn’t leave the Hospital. As it was only for three days I wasn’t too bothered - after all what was a few days extra.

On the third day of my Section but before the hour it was due to run out I was once again called into an office to see the Psychiatrist, there was to my dismay a Mental Health Officer present also. I was Sectioned again only this time for 28 days. On leaving the office I was so angry that I left the Hospital and travelled back home to the Island. Now I knew that a legal restriction had been placed on me but I didn’t know how serious the Police view would be, so when I arrived in Port Bannatyne a village near my home I decided to go to a bar and have a few drinks. I felt it would be best not to go to my house too soon in case the Police were looking for me. I must explain to the reader that if a person is Sectioned not only can their movements be restricted they can also have medicine administered against their will (that can feel very intimidating and scary). The reason that I was taking alcohol was that if the Police caught me a Doctor would be unable to administer drugs as psychiatric drugs and alcohol doesn’t mix. At about 8:45pm two Policemen entered the bar looking for me. One of the Policemen said I was to accompany them to the station, I felt humiliated by this and addressed the bar company saying that this is what you get for having a Mental Illness. I said I had committed no crimes and now like a dog I would be returned to the kennel. The Policemen seemed uncomfortable at that although I’d said it not to embarrass them but I didn’t want anyone in the bar to think I had broken the law (was a criminal).

The Police took me to the Police Station where I had to hand over my possessions, remove my belt, take off my shoes and was searched. The Police Sergeant told me that as there was no other secure accommodation (place of safety) on the Island I was to be locked in a cell, he said that they would make it as easy as possible for me under the circumstances. The Police were very kind to me but no amount of reassurance could detract from the fact I was locked in a cell and felt criminalised just because I had an illness. At about 10:00 the following morning I was taken from my cell and handed over to two Psychiatric Nurses who’d arrived to take me back to the Hospital in an Ambulance. On arrival at the Hospital I was taken to the locked ward where I stayed for five days before being allowing to return to the open ward. I thought that I would be seeing in the new Millennium whilst in hospital but was lucky and got discharged just prior to Xmas.

Now many people who have just read this will say I brought it on my self and that’s true. I can’t fault the Psychiatrist, Hospital or the Police - all had been very kind to me but in this day and age I don’t think that anyone should be locked in a cell because they are Mentally Ill. If there is true Care in the Community then provision should be made for Mentally Ill patients to be looked after overnight, they can then be taken to Hospital in the morning when the Ferry’s are sailing again. I was fortunate in that although it was winter the weather was kind and the Ferry’s were not disrupted, if they had been then my stay in the police cell could easily have been quite prolonged.

As regards Mental Illness I’m very aware that there are NO EASY ANSWERS. Health Professionals and the Police have to do the best they can according to the circumstances. I would like to say thanks to everyone who has helped me since I developed my Mental Illness - Hospitals, Nurses, Doctors, Police and Social Workers, if it wasn’t for all their help I wouldn’t be alive today. Finally can I say,

ANYTHING THAT HAS GOT A BRAIN CAN GO INSANE

Could it happen to you? - Why not? It happened to me.

Note - in the present year 2003 there’s still no place of safety for sectioned patients who are awaiting transport to a Psychiatric Hospital other than a Police cell. Interested parties including myself are trying to make this inappropriate situation change.

Alistair MacDonald